Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-05-12
SECTION X.-ATTACK ON vICKSBURG
FROM THE EAST AND SOUTH.

1t had been Grants intention, upon Sc
curing a foot-hold below Vicksburg, to
detach part of his command and send it to
General Banks at Port Hudson, which
place the last mentioned officer was about
to besiege. But learning that ten days
would elapse before Banks would be ready
to commence active operations in the vi
entity Of Port Hudson, and meeting with
such gratifying success at the battle of
Port Gibson, with the consequent evacua-
ton of Grand Gulf, Grant resolved to push
for the interior and threaten Vicksburg
from the east and southeast.
About the middle of May OS63) General
Joseph e. Johnston came to Jackson, Mis-
sissippi, the State capital, established his
headquarters there and assumed general
command in the department.
Johnston had under his immediate com.
mand ten or fifteen thousand troops. To
prevent the junction of these with the
force under Pemberton at Vicksburg, be-
came an immediate object with Grant. The
Seventeenth Corps under General j. b.
Mcpherson and Fifteenth under General
tenth Corps from Millikens Bend before
the 10th of May, and were with Grant
southeast Of Vicksburg.
LnO oCNOAQ W6Ch III VudJ lnO Ddbblt VI
Raymond was fought, twenty miles west
of jackson, between troops of the Seven
tenth Corps, mainly Logan's division and
some of General Johnston's command; the
latter were defeated and returned to Jack
son. This place was soon after attacked
by Sherman, and the troops defending it
under General Johnston beaten and driven
north. All this time the Thirteenth Corps
were hugging the eastern bank of the Big
Black river. McClernand with the Thir.
tenth Corps was thus on the left, McPher-
son in the center and Sherman on the right,
all facing the north.
From the Sd of May, when the writer's
regiment left Port Gibson, till about the
18th of that month, the part of the army he
was with, General A. j. Smiths division
of the Thirteenth corps, moved in gener-
al northerly course. Willow Springs,
Rocky Springs, Cayuga and Mount Auburn
were severally occupied, and among other
streams crossed were Big Sandy, Five-mile
creek and Fourteen-mile creek. At CaYuga
the command (the divislon) halted for a
day or two. 1t was now dry and dusty, the
immediate vicinity was devoid of streams,
and the only water available was dipped
from stagnant ponds, after the green scum
covering them had been pushed aside.
While here, towards the middle of hot
sultry day, division marched by on the
dusty road, near which Smiths division
was encamped. Among the moving troops
was Wisconsin regiment which had pet
eagle. A perch was made for him upon a
thin board cut in the form OF a shield. to
this he was chained and all was borne upon
the shoulder OF soldier, AS before said
the day was hot, the roads were dusty and
the eagle with dropping feathers and gen.
eral crestfallen appearance looked any
thing but the proud Bird" he is supposed
to be. Wonderful stories concerning the
eagle were, however, in circulation. Among
other things it was said that in time OF bat
tie when he was always loosened, he would
soar above the regiment, flap his wings,
hover about and scream with delight.
The Wisconsin regiment that had this
''emblem Of its countryn became noted as
the "Edgle regiment.
At Auburn General Frank P. Blair's di-
vision joined Smiths.
Frank P. Blair, before the war, was q
prominent and vigorous opponent OF
slavery, and lived at st. Louis, Mo. In
the hotly-contested slavery discussions
speeches were made by him, and full re
ports of these frequently appeared in the
Missouri Democrat, the only paper OF any
prominence published in St Louis that ap
posed slavery. Blair entered the army ant
proved most efficient officer.
While at Auburn, word was received o.
Rockers defeat-the Army of the Potomac
at Chancellorville, the ID and Sd of May
The command-Smith's division-moveC
northward, and about the 18th or 14th o.
May crossed Fourteen-Mile creek and en-
camped over night some miles north o.
this stream. 1t was ut the time under
stood that the enemy was not far off-iI
fact they were in force but five mile'
away, at Edwards Station, on the Vicks
burg and Jackson railroad,